Botox is a purified protein produced by the Clostridium Botulinum bacterium. It is a non-surgical, physician-administered treatment that can temporarily reduce moderate to severe lines and wrinkles

What does treatment involve?

Very small doses of Botox are administered via a few tiny injections directly into the muscles that cause those stubborn lines. The treatment takes about 10 minutes and no recovery time is needed

How does Botox work?

In laypersons terms, Botox simply keeps the muscles that cause frown lines from contracting. This causes the skin to become smoother. Normally your brain sends electrical messages to your muscles so that they can contract and move. Botox keeps that message from getting to the muscle that causes the wrinkles

Where can Botox be used?

The most common areas are frown lines, forehead lines, and crows feet. Other areas include the neck and upper lip.

Results from a Botox treatment?

Within a few days, you will see a marked improvement. Lines continue to improve for up to a month. In clinical trials, nearly 90% of men and women rated the improvement in their appearance as moderate to better 1 month after treatment. After treatment, the skin around the treated area will look smooth and less wrinkled. The rest of your face will not be affected. The untreated areas of your face to move as normal and you will be able to laugh, smile and frown, but with less wrinkling!

How long does Botox last?

This depends entirely on the client but a single treatment of Botox will normally be sustained for approximately 3 – 6 months. You will notice a gradual fading of its effects. At this point you will return to Xpressions for your next treatment. Usually, treatment is required 2 – 3 times a year

When should I start using Botox?

Traditionally, Botox is known for removing or reducing wrinkles but it is also excellent for the prevention of lines appearing. As you get older the skin loses elasticity which results in lines e.g. when frowning. Botox can be used to prevent excessive frowning; the lines will not appear in the first place

Is treatment with Botox painful?

A very tiny needle is used for the procedure. Discomfort is usually minimal and brief. Prior to injecting, the area to be injected can be numbed with a cold pack or local anaesthetic cream. The entire procedure takes approximately 10 minutes and once the injection is complete, there is usually no discomfort. Many people are in and out of the clinic without downtime following treatment. You can drive immediately after treatment and go about your usual activities

What will happen to the lines if I do not continue treatments?

The lines will gradually revert to their pre-treatment appearance

What ages can Botox treat?

Botox can be used from 18 to any age

Will Botox remove all lines and wrinkles?

Deeper lines and lines which have been present for many years may not be completely removed. These lines may be treated using dermal fillers. However, you should think about the look you want to achieve before removing all lines

Will my facial expressions continue to look natural?

Although the results are visible, a treatment with Botox will not radically change your facial appearance or make you look as if you ‘had work done’. The muscle activity that causes frown lines between the brows is simply reduced, so you can still frown or look surprised without the wrinkles and creases between your brows. Being 100% wrinkle free doesn’t always look natural. The idea is to enhance your natural looks not alter them

The Healthcare Professionals providing treatment are highly skilled and in most cases achieve the result you are looking for. In a few cases, usually patients that haven’t been treated with Botox before, it may be necessary to have the treatment reviewed and adjusted. Adjustments are carried out between 2 weeks post treatment and are part of the service provided by Xpressions free of charge

Is Botox affordable?

When considering your facial aesthetic options, Botox is quite affordable. According to an American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery survey Botox is one of the low-entry-cost facial aesthetic procedures in the United States. Like other appearance-related investments, such as hair cuts and colouring, teeth whitening, and chemical peels, the cost must be weighed relative to your expectations

Is Botox safe?

Botox is recognised as one of the safest cosmetic treatments. Side effects are rarely serious and always temporary, which is why it is now the most popular cosmetic treatment in the world.
Botox injections have been used safely and effectively for over 20 years to treat many eye and neurological conditions. These include spasticity and cerebral palsy in children and medical indications in very high dosages, all with no long-term side effects recorded. Botox has been used for cosmetic purposes successfully for many years. It is licensed in 13 countries for cosmetic use and has Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, which is extremely difficult to achieve

What are the side effects?

Some of the possible side effects include bruising at injection area, headaches, temporary eyelid droop, nausea and cold and flu-like symptoms. The most common side effect is bruising. To avoid bruising don’t take aspirin, anti-inflammatory tablets or vitamin E for 48 hours before treatment. Rarely a transient numbness may develop in the treated area. If you are pregnant or breast feeding the treatment is not recommended

Is there any reason I shouldn’t have treatment?

During your consultation, a full medical history will be taken to assess any risks that would preclude treatment. We recommend you follow the advice on the post treatment advice leaflet you will be given following treatment

Who shouldn’t have Botox treatment?

Botox® is extremely safe and most people will be able to have treatment. Some of the most common reasons for not being suitable of treatment are listed below but We will always go through a full consultation explaining the treatment in detail and a medical consent form is completed prior to treatment.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you are currently trying for a baby, it would be wise to delay cosmetic treatment.

Diseases that affect muscle activity

Bleeding disorders or are taking drugs that affect bleeding time

Some allergies requiring medication

Can Botox build up in the body?

When injected, the product is attracted to the nerve endings and is then metabolised and leaves the body completely within 21 days of administration. It is the result and effect of the treatment that lasts 3 to 6 months on average. Therefore, it is not possible to have a build up of the product.

Will my eyes or eyebrows droop?

The chance of this happening to a client is about 1 in 2,000. There is evidence to suggest that this may be as a result of the client massaging or pushes the area around within the first four days after treatment. If the eye does droop it will last no longer than 3 weeks and will usually correct itself

Will it freeze or paralyse my face?

The treatment will have the effect of relaxing the treated muscle allowing the lines to re-hydrate and smooth away. You will still be able to make facial expressions. However, when your face it at rest the line will be greatly improved if not removed. The area feels exactly the same for the majority of clients although a small percentage do report a very slight restricted feeling in the area on the 2nd to 4th day after treatment.

Can I travel by air shortly after undergoing treatment?

Yes, you can fly immediately after having treatment

Can creams that contain Botox like substances be as effective as Botox?

There has been an explosion of inaccurate claims suggesting that creams produce results as good as Botox®. Botox® needs to be delivered by injection into the muscles that are producing lines. Creams quite simply cannot do this!

Botox is FDA-approved, what does that really mean?

In the United States, prescription drugs and biologics are required to undergo rigorous laboratory, animal, and human clinical testing before they can be put on the market. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviews the results of these studies to verify the identity, potency, purity, and stability of the ‘ingredients’ and demonstrate that the drug is safe and effective for its intended use. Botox received FDA approval in 2002 and is available by prescription only

What are Glabellar lines (frown lines)?

Glabellar lines are the wrinkles between the brows caused by the contraction of corrugator and/or procerus muscles

Can Botox be used to treat ‘sweaty armpits’?

Sweaty armpits or “Axillary Hyperhidrosis ” can be successfully treated with Botox and can last for around 6 months

Can men have Botox treatment?

Yes, Botox works equally well for men and women. However, men may require a slightly higher dose due to stronger muscle contractions

Are there are some types of wrinkles Botox cannot help?

Sagging, drooping skin cannot be corrected using Botox. Damage caused by the sun, such as leathery, wrinkled skin is also not appropriate for treatment.

Botulinum toxin procedure

Injections of botulinum toxin may seem like a simple procedure to you, since it’s just a few shots. But it’s actually both an art and science that only an experienced healthcare professional should do.

There are 43 muscles in your face and it’s vital that the person who performs botulinum toxin injections understands and pinpoints the correct spots to optimize your treatment.

A very thin needle is used to inject small amounts of botulinum toxin into specific muscles.
By carefully choosing specific muscles, your experienced practitioner weakens only the wrinkle-producing muscles, preserving your natural facial expressions.

Botulinum toxin treatment injections usually take less than 15 minutes.

The number of injections you need will depend on your facial features and the extent of your wrinkles. Crow’s feet, for example, usually demand two to three injections. Furrows above your brow could take five or more.

Botulinum toxin can be combined with other cosmetic skin procedures – such as chemical peels, dermal fillers, or microdermabrasion – to further improve your results. This combination of therapies can even help to prevent the formation of new lines and wrinkles.

Botulinum toxin recovery
No anesthesia is required. There is no down time or recovery time for botulinum toxin injections.
You may resume normal activities immediately

Wrinkle Treatment with Botox

Botox injections are a very effective treatment to reduce lines and wrinkles on the forehead and face. Its one of a most popular treatments at Xpressions

The following are commonly treated areas with Botox:

Frown Lines

Frown lines can be seen as vertical lines in between the eyebrows and are common in people who frown a lot or have been overexposed to the sun. To treat these lines, small injections are given in between the brow.

Forehead Wrinkles

Forehead wrinkles appear as horizontal lines on the forehead which are more prominent when you raise your eyebrows.

Crow’s Feet

Crow’s feet are found in the outer corner of the eyes. They appear more prominent when smiling or laughing. They occur as the skin becomes less elastic with age combined with excessive sun exposure. Small injections at either side of the eyes are usually very effective in treating crow’s feet wrinkles.

Smoker’s Lines

Smoker’s lines appear around the mouth above the top lip. They can occur in non smokers, but can appear more prominent in smokers. Injections placed around above the top lip can be all that is needed to reduce their appearance.

Marionette Lines

Botox can be injected into the corners of the mouth alleviating the sad appearance that can occur with ageing.

Bunny Lines

Bunny lines are wrinkles at the top of the nose which can appear when squinting or frowning and can be successfully treated with Botox injections.

Brow Lift with Botox

Botox can also be used to achieve an eyebrow raise or “Chemical Brow Lift”. Carefully placed injections around the brow can raise the eyebrows by about 3 millimeters. This can open up the eyes and in women give a more youthful appearance.

Mentalis (chin) Botox

Deep chin grooves or puckering can be caused by a strong mentalis muscle. Botox can be used to relax this muscle, creating a smooth appearance to your chin.

Masseter (cheek) Botox

Large cheek muscles can give rise to a square or bulky looking jaw. In some people, treating this masseter muscle with botox will soften the jaw line. It can also be helpful for people who grind their teeth.

One note of caution:

Don’t rub or massage the treated areas after the wrinkle treatment because it can cause the botulinum toxin to migrate to another area of your face.